Lithuania is to receive its first LNG cargo from Egypt at the FSRU Independence located in the Klaipeda port.
Terminal operator Klaipedos Nafta says LNG Fukurokuju would deliver about 138,000 cubic metres of LNG to the terminal on May 7.
The 164,700-cbm Moss-type vessel, owned by Japan’s Kansai Electric and MOL, previously loaded the cargo at the Shell-operated Egyptian LNG facilities in Idku, according to VesselsValue data.
Besides delivering the first cargo from Egypt to Lithuania, this would be also the vessel’s first visit to the FSRU-based LNG import facility in Klaipeda.
The new cargo comes as the facility has completed planned maintenance and repair works, resuming operations on May 1.
Twelve more LNG cargoes by September
Klaipedos Nafta said it expects twelve more carriers to arrive at the LNG terminal by the end of September.
“As the prices of LNG are still high in Asia, a large part of cargoes from Europe are diverted exactly there by taking advantage of the spot market opportunities, and a certain new-found niche is filled by Egypt, which has been less visible on the map of European LNG suppliers so far,” Chief sales officer Mindaugas Navikas said.
Egypt now has two operational LNG export plants. Besides the Idku plant, the Eni-operated Damietta liquefaction plant has restarted operations earlier this year, helped by new gas finds in the country. This move will significantly boost Egypt’s LNG exports.
“Taking into account both the requirements of Klaipeda LNG terminal and the Lithuanian natural gas market, the natural gas liquefied in Egypt is suitable for our natural gas system in terms of its calorific and energy value,” Navikas said.
Klaipedos Nafta is currently leasing the 170,000-cbm FSRU Independence from Hoegh LNG under a ten-year deal that expires in 2024.
The Lithuanian company plans to buy an FSRU and it recently invited firms to submit draft documents as part of market consultation.
